“Am I good enough for this new role?”
This is one of the most common situations when starting a coaching journey, especially when someone receives a promotion, a new position, or a significant role change.
On the outside, everything seems perfect. It’s a dream for many: responsibility, recognition, a career leap. But inside… a world of doubts, questions, and curiosity opens up.
“Why me and not some of my colleagues?” – they tell me.
And behind this phrase lies a silent sense of guilt, quietly eating away at the joy of the opportunity. As if, instead of celebrating, there’s a feeling of being indebted to others. As if your worth is still something to prove, rather than being evident in the very fact that you were chosen.
“Can I really do this? Will I live up to the expectations?”
Here, a sense of inadequacy emerges. The famous imposter syndrome. It feels as though all the skills accumulated up until now suddenly don’t matter, as if you have to prove from scratch that you deserve this place.
Deserving is also about worthiness. That little voice, always a cousin of the imposter syndrome, constantly questioning us.
“But why me, when I’m not prepared enough, I don’t have a master’s degree, I’m not tall enough…” and everything else that comes with “I’m not enough.”
And then… the less visible, but incredibly powerful fear: the fear of success.
Because succeeding also means exposing yourself. Being seen. Making decisions that others will judge. Leading. No longer being able to hide behind “my boss decides” or “it’s not up to me.”
For someone used to always being the perfect executor, this can be much scarier than failure.
The work we do together in coaching starts right here. By observing these inner voices without judging them, but also without believing them too much.
All these voices have a very specific root, and it’s essential to identify and understand them so we can manage them.
The truth is, you’re there for a reason. No one “gave” you anything. You’re there because you can do it.
The real question isn’t “Will I make it?”, but HOW will you make it.
Because yes, you’ll make it. But not alone, not with the old patterns. It requires making an inner leap before an external one.
It’s no longer just about technical skills – you already have those.
It’s about relationships, learning how to manage people, dynamics, expectations.
It’s about identity – who you think you are and what you believe you deserve.
It’s about inner resistance, those voices telling you that you need to please everyone, that you must be flawless, that you have to “earn” every little recognition.
Well, that work… is YOUR work. Not outside, but inside.
Because the outside will always be a mirror of your deepest beliefs about yourself.
And when you change, everything else changes.
Guaranteed!
P.S: This is the second article of a series titled “Coaching Profiles”
If you haven’t read the first one, you can do se by clicking here!
